Chandigarh, March 13 -- The Progressive Punjab Investor's Summit 2026, an event meant to showcase investment opportunities in the state, will kick off in SAS Nagar (Mohali) on Friday, with several leading corporate honchos expected to attend. The three-day meet will be opened by chief minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who will attend the summit as the chief guest. "The summit is being organised to position Punjab as a major destination for investment and innovation. It will feature 89 sessions, making it one of the most extensive investment events ever organised in the state," industries, commerce and investment promotion minister Sanjeev Arora told reporters at a press conference here. Industries secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Invest Punjab chief executive officer Amit Dhaka, and Punjab Development Commission vice-chairperson Seema Bansal were also present. Arora said the summit would bring together investors, industry leaders and policymakers from within the country and abroad, including the UK, Japan and South Korea, to explore the economic opportunities offered by the state. Arcelor Mittal executive chairman Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal, Hero Enterprises chairman Sunil Kant Munjal, JL Oswal Group chairman Kamal Oswal, and Vardhman Steels vice-chairman Sachit Jain are among the prominent industry leaders who would attend the summit, he added. Arora said that the state government had invited a number of companies from the Gulf to participate in the summit, but the escalation of conflict in West Asia impacted their participation. "They are not able to come due to flight disruptions," he added. According to the department officials, there was a strong contingent from the Middle East during the 2023 investors' summit. The minister said there would be country-focused sessions for the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea, along with a dedicated MSME session. Special discussions will focus on Mohali's emerging role as an IT hub, artificial intelligence and various industrial sectors, along with meetings of sectoral industry committees. An industrial exhibition will also be held during the summit where products and innovations from Punjab's industries will be showcased. Responding to a query about any big-ticket investment from a public sector undertaking in the state, Arora said that it's not only the private sector, industrial investment is coming in the public sector as well. He said that Tata Semiconductor is the major partner for upgrading the Semi-Conductor Laboratory in Mohali. They will infuse Rs.4,500 crore into the facility's upgradation. I have spoken to their top management," he added. Asked about the investments lined up for announcements, Arora said the meet was not about MoUs or big announcements. Instead, the aim was to showcase Punjab and its investor-friendly policies, he said. On the perception about the state's law and order situation, the minister said a narrative had been created earlier that industries from Punjab were making investments in other states, particularly Madhya Pradesh, but all the companies whose names were being circulated have announced their expansion plans in the state....